Ed’s Ballsy ‘midlife crisis’ dance show appearance

Ed Balls, the former British shadow chancellor, revealed Monday he would be joining the cast of the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing later this year.

Balls said he is "scared to death" about appearing on the dance show.

"I have got to make sure I get fit in the next couple of weeks," the ex-cabinet minister said. "From the beginning of September I'm definitely going to do 12 hours a week training."

Balls said joining the show was "quite an exposed thing to do" but that his family "have been massive fans for years."

Balls' wife Yvette Cooper, a Labour MP, insisted he embrace the opportunity. "She kept saying 'I'd like to do it ... you've got to do it. How can you say no?' If she'd said 'You're mad', I wouldn't have done it."